Fist Love

It's a hell of a feeling to wake up to a nice review of your latest book, let me tell you. But that's exactly what happened this morning. Wait, did I say 'nice' review? Sorry. I meant 'frikking amazing!'. Keith Harvey of the website Red Rook Review got stuck into Rynn's World and shares his thoughts. I won't say more here since you can read the review in full for yourself via this link. And don't worry. It's pretty much spoiler free.

Big thanks to Red Rook Review for letting me know about this. It really made my millennium!

Exhumed - Reclassified

I've just made a quick update to the fiction page, folks, to announce that my second Deathwatch short story, Exhumed, will no longer be published in the Fear the Alien anthology, but will appear in the next Space Marines anthology, which is currently yet to be announced (it's the one after Legends of the Space Marines).

Why is this happening? Since the original Talon Squad story appeared in Heroes of the Space Marines, the powers-that-be have decided Exhumed is a better fit for another volume in that particular series, where it's the Space Marines, not the aliens, that are the main focus. To that extent, I certainly agree. We can't have filthy, bug-eyed xenos upstaging Talon Squad.

I know it means you'll all have to wait a while longer to read it, but don't worry. I'm busy cooking up something else special even as we speak. ;)

Launched!

Rynn's World is out now! It seems that some online stores have jumped the gun and started shipping my latest novel a week ahead of the official US release date. Judging by the first trickle of fan feedback, a number of you have even finished it already. Damn, you're fast!

I'm not sure if it's already shipping in the UK and other territories yet. I'll have to check on that. But, wherever you are, I hope you'll grab a copy and dive straight in. Oh, and don't forget to share your thoughts via a review on your favourite bookseller's website.

Merry Christmas!

... especially to those of you who wrote to me this year with your kind fan letters. Reading them brought great light to dark days. Equally effusive thanks to everyone who bought my books, to all of you who posted on this blog, and to everyone who's looking forward to Rynn's World, more Deathwatch stories, and whatever else I can cook up between now and the end of 2010!

The very best to all of you! Have a wonderful holiday season!

Updated the Fiction Page

Just a quick note to say that I've updated the Fiction page on this site. It now includes a little teaser detail for my new Deathwatch Talon Squad story, Exhumed. Check out the details at the top of the Fiction page, and look out for the full story in Fear the Alien when the anthology is released in September 2010 (yeah, I know - it's bloody ages away, but Rynn's World will help bridge the gap!).

Listening to: 30 Seconds to Mars - This is War
Reading: Ghost in the Shell 1.5 by Masamune Shirow
Playing: Demons' Souls (PS3)
Watching: Inside the Actor's Studio (with Harrison Ford)
This week's link: http://www.drivenbydemand.org/ (warning: this is extremely upsetting stuff - please help stop the Japanese bastards who are doing this!)

Year's End Stuff

Remiss of me not to update the blog for a month, I know, but I've always said I find this blogging thing a bit hard. I'm not a natural blogger. Still, I don't want to stop it since reading comments from you lot now and again is well worth the effort.

So, what's been happening? Let's see. The new Deathwatch short is finished and has been approved by Inquisitor Kyme. The story is called Exhumed, and I'm hoping you'll all like it as much as you seem to have liked Headhunted. Readers who know Headhunted will definitely be at an advantage, but Exhumed ought to be comprehensible for those that don't (at least, I'm hoping so). Look for it when Fear the Alien is released next year.

It's on to my new novel now. Much of it is already established in my mind, but I've got to get a proper synopsis done before any contracts are signed. I've a long chat scheduled with the Kymester on Wednesday and I'm hoping to get the final details hammered out. I'm looking forward to this one. More info when I'm told I can leak something.

In non-BL news, I'm hoping to get a new computer sorted out this month. My e-machines died on me after 6 years of solid service. The Dell I'm using as a substitute is the same age and definitely on its last legs. Time to get a monster graphics machine so I can get back into 3d character design and the like, which I've always loved. I'm also looking forward to discovering how PC gaming has evolved over the years that I've been exclusively a console-gamer. Yeah... really looking forward to that! :D

Talking of games, I've got to recommend Square-Enix/Pop-Cap's new collaboration. It's called Gyromancer, and you can get it on PC or Xbox360 for about $15 (don't know how much in British pounds). It's absolutely awesome - a combination of Pop-Cap's addictive Bejeweled Twist gameplay and Square-Enix's beautiful fantasy art, great music and high production values. It really has me hooked right now.


I've also recently developed an interest in the CCG (collectible card game) Magic: The Gathering. I watched some of the world championships live on the web and couldn't understand a bit of what was happening (world class players are really serious about this stuff), but the basic game is loads of fun, and I managed to pick up a starter set for only about $4!.

Anyway, that's all for now, except to say that there's still just a little time left to get your questions in for the Rynn's World video interview. So, if any of you have something else to ask, get in touch with me via the Contact page and let me know. The questions are mounting up now, though, I must admit, so I won't be able to answer all of them.

Missile Hits Fortress-Monastery in Tokyo

Okay, not a missile exactly. More like a package from my publisher.

I just received two advance author's copies of Rynn's World hot off the Black Library presses and, let me tell you, this one is a beauty. Bigger than a normal paperback (think omnibus size) and all shiny and cool with its full colour maps in the middle. Yeah, this is a good looking book. Of course, you can see that for yourselves in the image below.

And the page count? Minus the usual promotional pages at the back, the story runs in at 536 pages, the biggest book I've written so far.

I don't want to bang on about it too much, since it won't be in readers' hands until late January at the earliest, but don't forget that I'll be doing a video interview for Black Library TV in which I'll get to answer all your questions about Rynn's World and writing in general. I've had some questions from some of you already, but there's still time for more, so don't be shy. Just go to this site's Contact page to send me your questions directly.

For now, I'm cracking on with my Fear the Alien story. It's called Exhumed and sees the return of Deathwatch kill-team Talon Squad, heroes of my last short story, Headhunted.

As if the photo of Rynn's World wasn't cruel enough, here's the cover of Fear the Alien, just to get you all even more cranked up for next year. What can I say? I'm feeling malevolent today. (raises pinkie finger to side of mouth) Mwahahaha!


That's one meaty greenskin mutha! I can almost hear him roar just from looking at the pic. Nice one, Clint Langley!